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Sony Re-Commits to Roots With Return to Robotics

Sony is planning a new wave of robots that it says will be able to bond with humans, joining several other companies that have recently rolled out consumer-friendly robotics. Photo: Miho Inada/The Wall Street Journal

TOKYO—Sony Corp.’s return to robotics, a step announced this week along with a bullish profit outlook, reflects a commitment to its roots as a consumer-electronics giant, Chief Executive Kazuo Hirai said.

Mr. Hirai, who spent much of his early tenure streamlining the company’s troubled portfolio, said on Thursday that it was time to start taking steps toward a more-ambitious future, and robotics will be part of that journey.